Henley (UK Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Henley is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
. It covers south Oxfordshire
, including Henley-on-Thames
. The constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP)
by the first past the post system of election. It has long been a safe Conservative
seat, and the current MP is the Conservatives' John Howell
. The best-known past MPs were Michael Heseltine
and Boris Johnson
.
, and is named after Henley-on-Thames
, a town on the southern boundary of the division. It contains most of the South Oxfordshire
local government district, with the exception of the towns of Didcot and Wallingford and surrounding villages in that part of the district within historic Berkshire.
served as its MP for over 25 years. Heseltine was succeeded by the equally high profile Boris Johnson
in 2001. In May 2008, Johnson was elected as Mayor of London
, and he thus resigned from the Commons
on 4 June 2008, resulting in a by-election in the constituency
, which was won by John Howell
.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. It covers south Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, including Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
. The constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP)
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
by the first past the post system of election. It has long been a safe Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
seat, and the current MP is the Conservatives' John Howell
John Howell (politician)
John Michael Howell OBE is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Henley, having won the seat with an increased share of the vote in the Henley by-election, 2008....
. The best-known past MPs were Michael Heseltine
Michael Heseltine
Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC is a British businessman, Conservative politician and patron of the Tory Reform Group. He was a Member of Parliament from 1966 to 2001 and was a prominent figure in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major...
and Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
.
Boundaries
The constituency covers south OxfordshireOxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, and is named after Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
, a town on the southern boundary of the division. It contains most of the South Oxfordshire
South Oxfordshire
South Oxfordshire is a local government district in Oxfordshire, England. Its council is based in Crowmarsh Gifford, just outside Wallingford....
local government district, with the exception of the towns of Didcot and Wallingford and surrounding villages in that part of the district within historic Berkshire.
Boundary review
Following their review of parliamentary representation in Oxfordshire, the Boundary Commission for England has made minor changes to the existing arrangement as a consequence of population changes. The electoral wards used in this modified constituency are as follows. Suggestions to alter the name of the constituency to "Henley and Thame" or "South Oxfordshire" were ultimately rejected by the Commission.- From the district of CherwellCherwell (district)Cherwell is a local government district in northern Oxfordshire, England. The district takes its name from the River Cherwell, which drains south through the region to flow into the River Thames at Oxford....
– KirtlingtonKirtlingtonKirtlington is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire about west of Bicester.-Archaeology:The Portway is a pre-Roman road running parallel with the River Cherwell on high ground about east of the river. It bisects Kirtlington parish and passes through the village. A short stretch of it is now...
, and OtmoorOtmoorOtmoor or Ot Moor is an area of wetland and wet grassland in Oxfordshire, England, located halfway between Oxford and Bicester. It is about above sea level, and has an area of approximately .... - From the district of South OxfordshireSouth OxfordshireSouth Oxfordshire is a local government district in Oxfordshire, England. Its council is based in Crowmarsh Gifford, just outside Wallingford....
– Aston RowantAston RowantAston Rowant is a village and civil parish about south of Thame in South Oxfordshire, England. The parish includes the villages of Aston Rowant and Kingston Blount, and adjoins Buckinghamshire to the southeast....
, BensonBenson, OxfordshireBenson is a village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire, England. It is about north of Wallingford at the foot of the Chiltern Hills at the confluence of a chalk stream and the River Thames, next to Benson Lock...
, BerinsfieldBerinsfieldBerinsfield is a village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire, about southeast of Oxford.-History:Palaeolithic and Roman artefacts were found during 20th century excavations to build the village. The Roman road between Dorchester-on-Thames and Alchester runs through the centre of Berinsfield...
, ChalgroveChalgroveChalgrove is a village and civil parish of some . It is in South Oxfordshire about southeast of Oxford. The parish includes the hamlet of Rofford and the former parish of Warpsgrove with which it merged in 1932....
, Chiltern Woods, ChinnorChinnorChinnor is a village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire about southeast of Thame. The village is a Spring line settlement on the Icknield Way below the Chiltern escarpment...
, CrowmarshCrowmarshCrowmarsh is a civil parish in South Oxfordshire, England.-Formation and constituent settlements:The civil parish was formed on 1 April 1932 by the amalgamation of four existing parishes....
, Forest HillForest Hill, OxfordshireForest Hill is a village in Forest Hill with Shotover civil parish in Oxfordshire, about east of Oxford.-Manor:The toponym is derived from the Old English forst-hyll meaning "hill ridge". It has no etymological connection with forests....
and HoltonHolton, OxfordshireHolton is a village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire about east of Oxford. The parish is bounded to the southeast by the River Thame, to the east and north by the Thame's tributary Holton Brook, to the south by London Road and to the west by field boundaries with the parishes of Forest Hill...
, GarsingtonGarsingtonGarsington is a village and civil parish about southeast of Oxford in Oxfordshire.-Notable Garsington buildings:The earliest part of the Church of England parish church of Saint Mary is the Norman tower, built towards the end of the 12th century. The Gothic Revival architect Joseph Clarke restored...
, GoringGoring-On-ThamesGoring-on-Thames is a large village and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, about south of Wallingford.-Geography:...
, Great MiltonGreat MiltonGreat Milton is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire, about east of Oxford.-History:The toponym appears to refer to the "Middle Town" of a group....
, HenleyHenley-on-ThamesHenley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
North, Henley South, SandfordSandford-on-ThamesSandford-on-Thames is a village and Parish Council beside the River Thames in Oxfordshire just south of Oxford. The village is just west of the A4074 road between Oxford and Henley.-Early history:...
, ShiplakeShiplakeShiplake is a village and civil parish about south of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, England on the River Thames.-History:The Church of England parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul dates from at least the 13th century, but in 1869 the Gothic Revival architect G.E. Street rebuilt the chancel,...
, SonningSonningSonning, occasionally called Sonning-on-Thames is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Wokingham in the English county of Berkshire, a few miles east of Reading. The village is situated on the River Thames and was described by Jerome K...
Common, ThameThameThame is a town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, about southwest of the Buckinghamshire town of Aylesbury. It derives its toponym from the River Thame which flows past the north side of the town....
North, Thame South, WatlingtonWatlington, OxfordshireWatlington is a market town and civil parish about south of Thame in Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlets of Christmas Common and Greenfield, both of which are in the Chiltern Hills. The M40 motorway is from Watlington.-History:...
, WheatleyWheatley, OxfordshireWheatley is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire, about east of Oxford.-Archaeology:There was a Roman villa on Castle Hill, about southeast of the parish church. It was excavated in 1845, when Roman coins dating from AD 260 to 378 and fragments of Roman pottery and Roman tiles were...
, and WoodcoteWoodcoteWoodcote is a village in the civil parish in South Oxfordshire, about southeast of Wallingford and about northwest of Reading, Berkshire. It is in the Chiltern Hills, and the highest part of the village is above sea level....
History
Henley has been a safe Conservative seat for several generations. The high profile former cabinet minister Michael HeseltineMichael Heseltine
Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC is a British businessman, Conservative politician and patron of the Tory Reform Group. He was a Member of Parliament from 1966 to 2001 and was a prominent figure in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major...
served as its MP for over 25 years. Heseltine was succeeded by the equally high profile Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
in 2001. In May 2008, Johnson was elected as Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
, and he thus resigned from the Commons
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
on 4 June 2008, resulting in a by-election in the constituency
Henley by-election, 2008
The Henley by-election, 2008 to elect a member of the British House of Commons for the constituency of Henley in Oxfordshire was held on 26 June 2008. It followed the election of Boris Johnson as Mayor of London in May 2008...
, which was won by John Howell
John Howell (politician)
John Michael Howell OBE is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Henley, having won the seat with an increased share of the vote in the Henley by-election, 2008....
.
Members of Parliament
| Election | Member | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 United Kingdom general election, 1885 -Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:... |
Edward William Harcourt | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1886 United Kingdom general election, 1886 -Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1886*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**... |
Francis Parker Francis Parker (UK politician) The Hon. Francis Parker was a Tory member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Henley from 15 July 1886 to 24 July 1895.... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1895 United Kingdom general election, 1895 The United Kingdom general election of 1895 was held from 13 July - 7 August 1895. It was won by the Conservatives led by Lord Salisbury who formed an alliance with the Liberal Unionist Party and had a large majority over the Liberals, led by Lord Rosebery... |
Robert Hodge Robert Hermon-Hodge, 1st Baron Wyfold Robert Trotter Hermon-Hodge, 1st Baron Wyfold was a British Conservative politician.Born as Robert Trotter Hodge, he was the son of G W Hodge of Newcastle upon Tyne. He was educated at Clifton College and Worcester College, Oxford... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Became Sir Robert Hodge, Baronet in 1902, assumed surname Hermon-Hodge in 1903 | |
| 1906 United Kingdom general election, 1906 -Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**... |
Philip Morrell Philip Morrell Philip Edward Morrell, was a British statesman and Liberal politician.He was the son of Frederic Morrell, solicitor, of Black Hall, Oxford, by his wife Harriette Anne, daughter of the President of St John's College, Oxford and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, the Rev. Philip Wynter DD... |
Liberal Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
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| 1910 | Valentine Fleming Valentine Fleming Major Valentine Fleming, DSO was a British Conservative Member of Parliament who was killed in World War I.-Early years:... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1917 Henley by-election, 1917 The Henley by-election of 1917 was a by-election in Henley caused by the death of Major Valentine Fleming during World War I. The Conservative Party candidate Robert Hermon-Hodge won the subsequent by-election.... |
Sir Robert Hermon-Hodge Robert Hermon-Hodge, 1st Baron Wyfold Robert Trotter Hermon-Hodge, 1st Baron Wyfold was a British Conservative politician.Born as Robert Trotter Hodge, he was the son of G W Hodge of Newcastle upon Tyne. He was educated at Clifton College and Worcester College, Oxford... , Bt. |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1918 United Kingdom general election, 1918 The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did... |
Reginald Terrell | Coalition Conservative | ||
| 1922 United Kingdom general election, 1922 The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1924 United Kingdom general election, 1924 - Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *... |
Robert Henderson Robert Henderson (British politician) Robert Ronald Henderson was a British politician. He served as a Conservative Member of Parliament from 1924 to 1932.Henderson was born in 1876, the son of John Henderson... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1932 Henley by-election, 1932 The Henley by-election, 1932 was a parliamentary by-election held on 25 February 1932 for the British House of Commons constituency of Henley. The seat had become vacant when the Conservative Member of Parliament Robert Henderson had died on 16 January 1932. He had held the seat since the 1924... |
Gifford Fox Gifford Fox Sir Gifford Wheaton Grey Fox, 2nd Baronet was a British politician. He served as a Conservative Member of Parliament from 1932 to 1950.... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1950 United Kingdom general election, 1950 The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five... |
John Hay John Hay (UK politician) John Albert Hay was a British Conservative politician.Hay was born in Brighton, Sussex to John Edward Hay and May Hollingdale. He was brother to author Peter Thomas Hay.... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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| 1974 United Kingdom general election, February 1974 The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,... |
Michael Heseltine Michael Heseltine Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC is a British businessman, Conservative politician and patron of the Tory Reform Group. He was a Member of Parliament from 1966 to 2001 and was a prominent figure in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Later Baron Heseltine; Cabinet minister 1979-86 and 1990–97 | |
| 2001 United Kingdom general election, 2001 The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats... |
Boris Johnson Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Elected Mayor of London May 2008 | |
| 2008 Henley by-election, 2008 The Henley by-election, 2008 to elect a member of the British House of Commons for the constituency of Henley in Oxfordshire was held on 26 June 2008. It followed the election of Boris Johnson as Mayor of London in May 2008... |
John Howell John Howell (politician) John Michael Howell OBE is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Henley, having won the seat with an increased share of the vote in the Henley by-election, 2008.... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
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